When I Think of Research......

If I am going to be honest, when I first started this course I felt a little like this….

It did not help that when I told my colleagues at work that the course that I was starting in the fall was a research course and they all responded with the dreaded, “EEW!!!” Their response did not help with my reservations! I think that the word “research” in itself can be daunting, but as this course progressed each week it did not seem as daunting as I thought it was going to be. There were times that I did feel like this ……..

but, with the support of my peers through our dialogue on discussion board and the feedback and encouragement from Dr. Parrish, the fog lifted. I would not say that I am a rock star when it comes to research, but my knowledge and confidence has definitely blossomed and grown. Now that we have almost finished this course, I would say that I feel more like this…….

Before I began this course, I was always intimidated by research and kept it at an arm’s length as for some reason I always associated research with old men like; Piaget, Vygotsky, and Maslow! J  I never felt that I had the mindset for research as I thought it was too complex, but the fact was, that I was never taught how to do research properly. Dr. Parrish reinforced within me that I do have a mind for research. I have come to the realization that I just have to change the way I think and approach research and believe in my new found skills

Throughout this course I have learned that there are many layers to research and it is much more complex than I could have imagined. When you learn about the process of research like we did, by taking it step by step, it makes it easier to understand. This process has taught me that one important aspect to research is that the more you remain specific, the more successful you will be. We learned throughout this course that there are many components to planning, designing, and conducting research. Throughout our research simulation, we got to experience the many aspects of conducting research. 

When I reflect over the past eight weeks, there were definitely challenges that I faced. Every week brought forth the challenge of understanding new terminology and then came the challenge of applying this information to our research simulation. The challenges that I have faced throughout this course have been overcome with hard work, learning from one another, taking feedback, and lots of reading.  I never viewed these challenges in a negative way, rather I embraced these challenges as they gave me the opportunity to learn and expand my knowledge with regards to research. I am leaving this course with the knowledge and confidence, so there is no need to keep research at a distance any longer!!

WE DID IT!!!

I would like to thank all of my colleagues and Dr. Parrish for this great journey through research. Every encouraging word that was spelled out in our discussion boards helped tremendously. I wish everyone nothing but the best in your courses to come!

Cheers!

Take care,
Stephanie

Research Around the World

There are times when I get focused with the current research that is happening around me that having this opportunity to discover the important and valuable research that is happening world-wide is a great learning opportunity. There is so much that we can learn from one another on a national level. In my course Issues and Trends, we had the opportunity to make international contacts with professionals in the field of early childhood and I was successful with making contact with an educator in Australia. I came across obstacles with maintaining consistent contact, but the spark it ignited within me was enough to want to further my knowledge of what research is currently happening in the field of early childhood in Australia.

The website Early Childhood Australia is flowered with an array of useful information regarding the field of early childhood that is not only useful for professionals but also for parents. Their passion for children can be seen on the homepage as it states, “Early childhood Australia advocates to ensure quality, social justice and equity in all issues relating to the education and care of children from birth to eight” (Early Childhood Australia, 2014).

Research Topics in Australia

When navigating through the website to find current research there is a tab, “Our Publications” which leads you to the topic “Research in Practice series.” This series provides resources for anyone interested in the field of early childhood which is easy to read and are very practical. This year their topics focus on; “Ways of thinking, acting and relating about sustainability,” “Pedagogy” Programs and relationships in practice” and “Professional partnerships in children’s services: Working together for children.” Anyone can subscribe to their 12 month, four-issue subscription.

Some websites pertaining to the field of early childhood may not seem “parent” friendly as the information on these sites can be more formal and the articles can be lengthy and wordy. I like how there is a parent resource tab as this makes it inviting for parents. The topics under this tab are very relevant and meaningful which enables parents to gain knowledge with how to better support themselves and their children.

The tab, “Learning Hub” really caught my eye. They use their hub as web-based platform where they offer different learning resources for anyone working with young children (Early Childhood Australia, 2014).Their Learning Hub includes videos, webinars, written resources, and online forums (Early Childhood Australia, 2014).  A hub is a modern concept that is devised as a one-stop access point where you can gain information. I teach at a college where we have incorporated these learning hubs around our college campus. Our students can use these hubs to become part of the college’s culture and enables them to access information, events, workshops as well as many other features. I guess “Learning Hubs” are a great way to embrace technology!

Websites such as, Early Childhood Australia shows that whether we are a neighboring country or  a country that is half way around the world that we still have the same passion which drives our research. We all strive for quality care where children can grow and develop to their fullest, so it is powerful to know that research is happening around the world which gives us the tools to gain more insight in the field of early childhood.

Reference

Early Childhood Australia

http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/

Research That Benefits Children and Families

How wonderful would it be to possess the means and knowledge to conduct a research study on any topic that impacts the field of early childhood! The choices are endless and I know that many of us would choose child related cancers and diseases, so I thought I would take my research to a place that affect many children on a daily basis. My choice would be hunger. We tend to think of hunger as something typically associated with underdeveloped countries, but in fact hunger is a living and ongoing issue worldwide.  It would be luxurious to research a topic such as hunger, so we can finally eradicate such an issue that truly shouldn’t even exist. Hunger has an impact on a child’s development, learning, and growth (World Hunger Education). It is crucial to find the answers with ways to ensure that children’s tummies are fueled with nutrients they need so they can develop to their fullest.

Poverty is a main contributor to hunger (World Hunger Education.) so without the financial means to fulfill all expenses needed to live; many households are left with empty plates for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We need to think about how hunger can impact a child’s ability to learn and concentrate so they can meet the expectations and demands of school. My research study would find ways to eliminate hunger and it would also educate parents with the resources needed so family members are not dealing with hunger. 

Hunger played a significant role throughout my husband’s early childhood. His parents moved to Canada from Germany when he was just a baby and they did not speak English. His parents struggled financially and there were many countless days where he went hungry. He remembers not being able to focus in school as all he could hear was his tummy rumbling. At that time there were no “breakfast clubs” as this was seen as an issue for developing countries, not in our community. His preoccupation with his talking tummy labeled him as a child who couldn’t pay attention and couldn’t focus. The teachers never identified the true reason for his lack of concentration.  His experience as a hungry child has impacted him now as a father of two children. He goes above and beyond to make sure that all of their wants and needs are met.  This experience also gave him the internal motivation to continue with his education and obtain a good job, so he wouldn’t have to experience a rumbling tummy ever again! I never question our grocery bills as his relationship with food and the lack of is something that I could never relate to. 

Research that would help to eliminate hunger would ensure that children wouldn’t have to go to school hungry or come home after school hungry. This research would ensure that families have the means necessary to end hunger so their children can develop to their fullest.

References

World Hunger Education Service:

http://www.worldhunger.org/articles/Learn/world%20hunger%20facts%202002.htm

Your Personal Research Journey

At the beginning of this course we were all given the undertaking of choosing a topic that we want to investigate. The topic that interests me is the importance of family involvement and how building partnerships with families have a positive impact on children’s learning. It is important for educators to not only understand the needs of children, but to understand that we need to be mindful of our families’ needs as well. As a professional working in the field of early childhood, I have become cognizant of the fact that many educators do not feel that they have the skills needed to build partnerships with families. The best way to support children’s learning is to provide environments where families and educators feel comfortable working together.

I recognized that my initial topic was too general to research effectively, so I worked on the task of breaking down my topic into three sub topics that would in the end make it a bit easier to research. I had to ponder and take time to figure out how I was going to break down my topic.  As I tried to think of sub topics, I began to think about the benefits of family involvement, how a number of educators feel that they don't possess the proper skills to build partnerships, and how many educators do know how to work effectively with the diversity that families bring.  I finally broke down my topic into three sub topics, but then came another challenge....which sub topic was I going to pick to do my research simulation for the remainder of the course?

When deciding on which path to follow, I reviewed Dr. Parrish’s feedback and thought about how I could turn theses sub topics into research questions. I reviewed each one carefully to examine which sub topic would bring out the best questions and although it was challenging, I did in the end choose a sub topic that I will use for my research simulation. My focus will be ways to build positive partnerships with families. I came up with an array of questions that will help guide me through researching this topic. The first question which I feel is a good starting point is; "What is a partnership and how do educators and families define partnerships?" 

I look forward to your feedback and will embrace any insight that you have on this topic! I wish everyone the best throughout this research journey and it is great to know that we are here to support one another!!!! :)

Final Blog Assignment

Over the past seven weeks we have been engaged in numerous in-depth conversations regarding the array of issues that impact the field of early childhood. We began this course with the exciting challenge of trying to make connections with other early childhood professionals from around the world. This gave us the opportunity to see how these issues are impacting  the field of early childhood in different countries. When reading through my colleagues’weekly Blogs, it was interesting to see that some were successful in connecting with international early childhood professionals, while others were not. For those who were not successful, it gave us the chance for us to learn new information concerning the varying podcasts that they listened to. The information from the Blogs gave me the opportunity to learn and grow with regards to the issues our field faces.

Throughout this course, we have learned about unintended consequences that can either be positive or negative. Learning about the international early childhood field has brought forth positive consequences that have helped me grow both personally and professionally. One consequence about the international early childhood field is that the issues that this field is faced with are universal. All families have the same needs which are for their children to have access to quality care so they have the opportunity to develop to their fullest. I have also realized that is important to keep current with what is happening around the world concerning the field of early childhood. Even though we may live half way around the world from some countries, we can learn for one another. We can use the values and beliefs from other countries and integrate them with our own values. When we learn from one another, it enables us to become a stronger network. 

  One goal that I personally and professionally have for the field related to international awareness of issues and trends would be to work toward becoming a profession where early childhood educators are valued, respected, and acknowledged as professionals……world wide!! I hope that one day we can leave the word “babysitter” behind. Once we work towards becoming valued as professionals, we can work towards employing all early programs with educators who are highly qualified so children can have access to the high quality care they deserve. 

Thank you to all of you who have shared a wealth of information regarding the issues that impact the field of early childhood! It is professionals like all of you who make such a positive difference! :)

Cheers,
Stephanie

Getting to Know Your International Contacts - Part 3

Well, I did not have any luck getting a response back from my international contacts this week. When I contacted my contact from Australia, an out of office message was sent back to me, so I decided to do the alternate assignment this week.

       UNESCO which stands for; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is an organization that I am unfamiliar with, so I found it interesting to spend time navigating through the website to find out what they are all about.  Their mission is to provide international leadership to create learning societies with educational opportunities for all populations, provide expertise and foster partnerships to strengthen national educational leadership and the capacity of countries to offer quality education for all, and work as an intellectual leader, an honest broker and clearing house for ideas, propelling both countries and the international community to accelerate progress towards these goals. Retrieved from http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/about-us/how-we-work/mission/

One aspect of the UNESCO website that I really liked were the array of themes that they identified that helped to give me a new insight on the issues related to international early childhood education. I took my focus to their themes on; Education for the the 21st Century, Teachers, and Literacy for All.

The UNESCO’s Education for the 21^st Century is trying to put quality education at the heart of development. Their mission has been to aid with the building of peace, poverty, lasting development and intercultural dialogue. They are committed to the reality that everyone has the right to education, and that education plays a significant role in human, social and economic development. (UNESCO, 2014).

“It is not enough to be connected to each other. We also share our solutions, our experiences and dreams in one great community supported by human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

                                                  Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO

One of UNESCO’s top priorities is teachers and their training, recruitment, retention, status and working conditions. “Teachers are the single most influential and powerful force of equity, access an quality in education” says Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO. They find that the main challenge faced by the teaching profession is both of numbers and quality. In other words, the world needs more and better teachers. The quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers.  UNESCO works to address this challenge in addition to advocating for teachers and defending their rights. Here is a link to find more information: http://ed.unesco.org/themes/teachers#sthash.zlzkGAMn.dpuf 

UNESCO believes that literacy is a human right and the basis for lifelong learning. Literacy empowers individuals, families, and communities and improves their quality of life. UNESCO is a firm believer that literacy helps to erase poverty, reduce child mortality, curb population growth, achieve gender equality and ensure sustainable development, peace and democracy (UNESCO, 2014). UNESCO has been at the forefront of global literacy efforts since it foundation in 1946. You can find more information at: http://en.unesco.org/themes/literacy-all#sthash.1LvPr01.dpuf

Reference

UNESCO. Retrieved from http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/

Sharing Web Resources

The ZERO to THREE website has an array of topics ranging from Behavior and Development, Maltreatment, Care and Education and, Public Policy. Each topic branches off to issues related to the main topics with some leading you to outside links which gives parents and early childhood professionals the opportunity to gain more insight on topics that they are interested in or just may want to investigate.

Over the past few weeks we have been discussing the issue of equity and how all families and children should have equal access to high quality care. The topic of Care and Education in the ZERO to THREE website identifies criteria of what to look for when choosing child care. The website also identifies that a good caregiver is one who is loving and responsive, respects the baby's individuality, and provides a stimulating and child-friendly environment (Zero to Three, 2014).

Many parents who are looking for child care maybe uniformed or at times misled with the wrong information when trying to understand what "quality care" actually entails. This website identifies the criteria of what to look for in a child care program. This information empowers parents to make better decisions as they will be more informed with accurate information needed. Hopefully this information will also help parents find the quality care that they need and deserve.

The website identifies information on licensing issues with regards to licensing requirements for programs and providers. The website provides an outside link called the Child Care Aware of America. Here is the link:  http://www.naccrra.org/?AddInterest=1152   

The website wants parents to be informed with the correct information so parents can have access to excellence. When parents are looking at programs, they want them to ask the question, "Is the child care program licensed by the state or local government? They also want parents to see if the program they are investigating for possible care is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children http://www.naeyc.org/?AddInterest=1152  

The website also provides a link to the Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition so parents can check to see if the caregivers in the program meet the requirements needed to teach young children. http://www.cdacouncil.org/?AddInterest=1152   The information provided in the ZERO to THREE website helps parents to understand what is quality care and what they should be looking for when accessing care.

The main focus of the ZERO to THREE website is geared to the understanding of early care, so it was interesting to find out that they offer parents with the proper information and the tools to help them with the criteria to look for when trying to access for care for their child. The June 2014 newsletter has not been posted yet, so I was not able to obtain any new information from the newsletter that would add to my understanding of equity and excellence in early care or education. I will post an update once I receive the June newsletter.